


Loyalty is Hard to Find; Trust is Easy to Lose

by astudyinfic



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Jace is defensive, M/M, alec is angry, do not threaten Magnus Bane in Alec's presence, missing scene 2x08, not Jace friendly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 05:12:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13873878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: Overhearing his parabatai giving a shovel talk to his boyfriend on the balcony of Magnus' own loft, Alec sees red.  He and Jace need to have a chat about boundaries and trust.  Now.





	Loyalty is Hard to Find; Trust is Easy to Lose

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Pameluke](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pameluke/gifts).



> So this isn't the nicest fic towards Jace. Just a head's up before anyone comes in and yells at me in the comments.

That morning, when he left Magnus’ loft, all Alec wanted to do was crawl back into the bed and curl up with his lover.

Lover.

A single word shouldn’t be able to create that much delight.  But never before did Alec have someone to whom the term could apply.  But after last night, there was no way Magnus was anything but his lover.  

Looking at the reports in front of him, Alec sighed and put them back in the file.  He’d deal with them later.  As much as he loved being a Shadowhunter, right now, he wanted to be with Magnus.  Paperwork could wait for later.  

_ Magnus was good for him _ , Izzy would say if she could see him now.  

_ Magnus was a bad influence _ , the Clave would say in her place. 

Alec tended to believe Isabelle far more.  She was always there for him.  The Clave...not so much.  

The decision made, Alec dropped his unnecessary things in his room and hurried to Brooklyn, his speed, stamina, and stealth runes making the trip far shorter than it would have been for any mundane.  Taking the steps three at a time, Alec let himself into the loft.  Magnus gave him a key, which was more symbolic than anything else since the wards decided who could get in and who couldn't, but it delighted him all the same.  He looked around, about to call for his boyfriend when he heard voices from the balcony.  

Jace was not who he wanted to see right now, but since his parabatai was living with his boyfriend, there was only so much he could do.  About to interrupt them, to see if Jace could be persuaded to go somewhere else for a few hours, Alec stopped just out of their eye line and listened to what was being said.  

His blood boiled as Jace practically threatened Magnus in the name of Alec's happiness and safety.  Had his parabatai not been paying attention?  Did he not see how much better things were for Alec with Magnus in his life?  Did Jace not just say that he could feel Alec was happier now?  So if he was happier, why on earth did Jace feel it was his responsibility to threaten him?

At first, Alec thought Magnus would throw Jace out -  _ hoped  _ he would throw Jace out - but the conversation shifted and they seemed to be on steadier ground.  Glaring at the door that led to his beautiful boyfriend and infuriating brother, Alec had an idea.  Pulling out his phone, he texted Jace, letting him know he needed to see him at the Institute.  Jace only came when asked these days, so he hoped he would respond to the summons and not ask to meet him here.  

Alec didn’t want Magnus to hear what he had to say.  Sometimes his boyfriend was too forgiving, even if Magnus himself wouldn’t believe that.

Thankfully, Jace replied back instantly that he would be there in thirty minutes and made his way past where Alec was hiding to his room, presumably to get ready.  As soon as Jace was out of sight, Alec slipped out onto the balcony to see Magnus. 

“Alexander!  I thought you were at the Institute, darling?”  His eyes were wide and Alec could see him frantically trying to figure out if Alec heard the previous conversation. 

He shook his head, “No, I was coming to see you.  But something came up.  I hate to ask but can you portal me back to the Institute?”  Hoping Magnus wouldn’t guess what it was that came up, he smiled imploringly.  “I’ll be back as soon as I can.  I do want to spend time with you.  I just...need to do this first.”

His boyfriend, far too smart for Alec’s own good, understood though, and he gave Alec a sad sigh.  “You don’t  _ need _ to do this Alexander.  It was fine.  No harm was done.”   

Alec sighed and shook his head.  “Harm was done and I do need to do this.  Just, let me deal with my parabatai and then I will be back, okay?”  Even if Magnus didn’t think it was necessary, Alec had to put his foot down.  If Jace thought he could get away with this, how many more times would he inject himself into their relationship?  Alec was allowed to have one thing that was all his own, and his relationship with Magnus would be it. 

With a nod, Magnus gave him a small smile and kissed him.  “Give him hell, darling,” he chuckled, opening the portal.  Alec grinned and stepped through, impressed to see himself in his own bedroom.  He’d ask Magnus how he managed that since the wards were supposed to keep portals from appearing in the Institute, but considering Magnus made the wards, he wouldn’t be surprised to find his boyfriend made a loophole for himself.

Not long after reaching home did a knock sound at his door.  Alec had spent the time he waited trying to calm himself down.  He didn't want to just yell at Jace, no matter how appropriate it might be.  He deserved to be talked to with respect, like an equal.  A courtesy his parabatai did not extend to Magnus in their conversation earlier. 

"Alec?  You wanted to see me?" Jace asked as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.  "I thought we had a mission or something."  

Alec didn't miss the hope in his voice, knowing how much Jace missed being a Shadowhunter.  With Victor in charge, he was barely allowed into the Institute.  It killed Alec that he couldn't fix this problem for his parabatai, but he didn't know what had happened that allowed Victor to get away with this and unless Jace chose to open up to him, there wasn't anything he could do.  

But that was a problem for another day.  

"No, I needed to talk to you about something."  

Jace took a seat on the bed and motioned for him to continue.  Alec almost sat down but the nervous energy pulsing through his body kept him moving.  Jace looked almost pleased with this and nodded, "I knew it.  I knew something wasn't right.  What did he do?  If he hurt you, I'll kill him."

"Jace, just stop," Alec sighed, running his hand through his hair.  "I want to talk to you about that.  You, threatening the man I lo... Magnus, just because you have some deep-seated belief that he is going to hurt me."

"He told you!  I can't believe he told you what I said."

Alec rolled his eyes, asking the angel for patience.  "He didn't tell me.  I was there.  I heard you.  I'd come back over hoping to have some time with him and instead, I heard my brother and parabatai threaten to kill him and imply that he could feel us having sex through our bond.  I want Magnus, Jace.  I want to make this work between the two of us.  And you cannot just go in there and try to ruin everything just because that is what you always do to your own life."  

The moment the words were out of his mouth, Alec regretted them but he couldn’t take them back.  Because they were true.  Jace didn’t think himself worthy of anything good.  All these years being his parabatai taught Alec that.  So, Jace would sabotage anything that could be remotely good.  Alec watched it happen again and again. 

And he wouldn’t let Jace do it to his relationship with Magnus.  

“I don’t have to sit here and take this,” Jace glared.  “I was only looking out for you.  You know what he’s like.  We have centuries of Clave reports that show just what is going to happen to you if you stay with him.  He loves people and he leaves them, Alec.  And when it happens to you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Catching his arm before Jace could leave, Alec shook his head.  “No, you don’t get to say things like that and just walk out the door.”  He moved to stand between his parabatai and the exit so he could hopefully get his attention.  “After everything Magnus has done for us - trying to get Clary’s memories back, defending Izzy in her trial, helping keep me alive while you were gone and now giving you a place to live free of charge - you dare accuse him of being the man described in those Clave records?  The Clave is wrong, Jace.  I thought you of all people would understand that.  They have their biases against Magnus and all of the Downworld.  We’ve seen it again and again.  And now, here you are, buying into them completely.”  

Alec’s skin tingled as adrenaline pumped through his veins.  It was supposed to be a quiet afternoon with Magnus, maybe learning a few more intimate things about his boyfriend, but instead, he was here, fighting with his parabatai.  

Again.   

“Did you just say the Clave is wrong?  Are you sure you’re okay?  Because that sounded like Magnus talking, not my brother and parabatai who has never broken a rule in his life.” 

He deserved that, he knew.  His whole life had been dedicated to the Clave and following all the rules.  But if the last few months had taught him anything, it was that it was better to do what is right then follow the letter of the law.  And yes, Magnus had taught him that more than anyone else, but Alec could see the ways the Clave was wrong and he wanted to fix it, not just follow blindly anymore.  

“And are you defending them?  Jace, all I’m asking is for you to respect what Magnus and I have.  It isn’t going anywhere.  He isn’t going anywhere.  And I have no intention of ever leaving him.  So you have two options.  You can respect him and our relationship, or you can find yourself a new place to live.  Because you can’t accept his hospitality and then turn around and accuse him of things he would never do to me.  It’s your choice and you need to make it before the party.”

Jace stared at him as if he’d grown a second head before a small smile pulled at his lips.  “He’s good for you, you know?  I can feel how happy you are with him.”

“Then why are you trying to sabotage it?  Help me understand, Jace.”

“I just... I’ve never been in a relationship.  Not a real one.  The closest I had was with Clary, who turned out to be my sister.  I don’t know how to have what you two have, and...  I want it to be real but if it isn’t, if he’s using you, the...  I don’t want you to go through what I’ve gone through, that’s all.”

“Well, I guarantee Magnus isn’t my sister, so I have that going for me,”  Alec smirked, hoping the joke would go over well enough.

Jace smiled in return and nodded, “That is a step in the right direction.  So, you’re happy?  And you trust him?”

“I’ve never been happier, Jace.  I can finally be myself, which I didn’t realize I wanted so badly.  As for trusting Magnus, I would trust him with my life.  I would trust him with your life, and Izzy’s, and  _ Max’s _ .  Magnus has the biggest, kindest heart in the world and he won’t hurt me.”  Alec couldn’t imagine a world where Magnus did something like that, where he hurt Alec simply because he could.  

And what he felt must have been written all over his face because Jace finally smiled, “Alright then.  I suppose I owe him an apology.”  

“You think?  But give it to him later.  I want to go back and have some time alone with him.  Think you can stay away for another few hours?”

“I thought you might want to spar?” Jace asked, and Alec barely refrained from rolling his eyes.  

Instead, he shook his head, “As much as I would like to kick your ass right now, I would rather be in the loft where I can get a different kind of workout.  Or at least get sweaty for a while.”  Alec winked at Jace and slipped out of the room, enjoying the stunned silence he left in his wake.


End file.
